Effects of rules changes on shots dynamics in Water polo World Championship 2003-2013

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of rules changes in water polo on throws dynamics in numerical equality, counterattack and powerplay. The performance indicators observed in the Women's and Men's World Championships of 2003 and 2013 were compared. The observational design was nomothetic, multidimensional and follow-up. 8765 throws were analyzed, 4112 in the 2003 championship and 4372 in the 2013. In the women's competition, the rules changes influenced the following performance indicators of the numerical equality: frecuence (p < .001) and technique (p = .001); in counterattack: frecuence (p < .001), distance (p < .001) and efficacy (p = .003); and in numerical desiquality: frecuence (p < .001), distance (p < .001), position (p = .016) and technique (p = .001). In the men´s competition the indicators that showed dependence with the rules changes were the distance in counterattack (p = .001) and powerplay (p <.001), and the technique in powerplay (p = .036). In conclusion, the observational methodology allowed to verify the different effects in the throws dynamics caused by the new rules in both gender.